First Timers

First Timers Workshop

Be inspired to take that step to becoming a first time IRONMAN.

The IRONMAN First Timer’s Workshop is free of charge, informative and interactive sessions hosted by IRONMAN’s top athletes and coaches for you to come and ask questions regarding training, equipment, race day, and everything in between. No question is too silly or basic and is a great way for you to meet fellow athletes and calm any nerves you may have for the big day!

What will the sessions involve?

As well as a meet and greet with fellow IRONMAN athletes, Our IRONMAN coaching panel will provide expert comments on each of the Swim, Bike, and Run disciplines of the event. They will touch on all aspects of the race that First Timers tend to worry about. Whilst the team are serious with their advice and offering of situations you may be worried about, there is always a degree of humour to the seminar, to have you realise that the best remedy for nervous tension is having a good sense of adventure. They will be open to all questions, including from social media.

Auckland*
Date: 23rd August 2018
Time: 6:00pm
Location: GridAKL, Workshop 2, 12 Madden Street, Wynyard Quarter, Auckland
Presenters: Andrew Mackay, Rob Dallimore, Ben Marshall and Cam Harper
RSVP here: [email protected]If you're unable to make it in person, you can tune into the Auckland session on the IRONMAN New Zealand Facebook page. You can submit live questions via the comments and view the recorded version later at a time that suits you.

Please encourage your friends and family to come along with you and be part of your IRONMAN New Zealand journey.

First Timers Corner

If you talk to someone who has completed IRONMAN New Zealand, you’ll soon find they describe it as one of the best life experiences they have ever had. Words can’t describe the feeling of elation when crossing the finish line in an event that you did not know you could finish when you started training. It is something that if you complete can leave you wondering what life would be like if you had not gone through the experience. It can change your life and make you think about things differently.

Do you have what it takes to head to Taupo in March?

From the time you first wonder if you could do an IRONMAN to the time you cross the finish line, you will have gone through more extreme highs and lows than you thought were possible. The lows will be tough, but that is what makes the highs so high. That is what makes you different from everybody else. That is what makes you an IRONMAN finisher!

Who can complete an IRONMAN?

It is not a case of anybody can do IRONMAN; it is a case of "any mind" can do IRONMAN. The mental battle is far harder than the physical one and the battle starts as soon as you think about taking on the challenge. From the very second you start to think, "I wonder if I could" you will have doubts and fears. Is this realistic? Will I make a fool of myself? So and so says you need iron quads and bionic arms to do IRONMAN. Whatever your level or physical talent the self-doubt will be right there trying to take you down. But you have one huge advantage, one thing that gives you the upper hand - you don’t need to know if you can do it, you don’t even need to tell anybody. All you need to do is decide you want to. That is step one, and if you do that you are closer to taking on the beast than you think!

Where do I start?

This is where "most people" get tripped up. They think that they need to do far more training at the beginning than they actually do. They get so caught up in time and distance and what they hear other people say, that they blow themselves to pieces before they have even had a chance to start. To begin with, all you need to do is to be able to bike, run and swim a little. Getting a good pair of running shoes and a bike that fits you are the first steps.

Swimming can come later - it is probably the swim that you fear the most, but the swim is the smallest part of the IRONMAN equation. The biggest thing to remember at this point is that you don’t know what is possible at this stage, so don’t beat yourself up trying to work it out. Just take the first step and go from there.

How much training will I have to do?

There is 4-6 weeks of high volume training that make up the key weeks in your IRONMAN build up. Including some key sessions (the longest ones). The rest of the training is just there to prepare you for the training in those key weeks. Some athletes will train as much as 30 hours in the biggest weeks (pros of course) and others will get through in as little as 13 hours in the biggest week (mums and dads who work). It depends on three things - what else you have going on in your life, what your goal is for the event, and your training history. An experienced coach will be able to give you accurate feedback about your build up based on your individual situation.

Piecing it all together

There are a series of tasks that make things far easier. When you complete each task you gain both confidence and momentum and things slowly seem that little bit more achievable.